By: Jerry Rivera, Safety Director of Washington, D.C. Chapter of NECA
COVID-19 has certainly caused an unprecedented amount of chaos across all industries. And, the electrical industry has been no exception. In many ways, NECA and its member contractors have led our industry on the COVID-19 response.
Electrical Alliance contractors, powered by their well-trained, skilled, union workforce, provide the highest level of quality for the jobs they service and supply workers for. Their workforce’s attention to safety, elevates them above the rest. Thus, it is no wonder that year-over-year Electrical Alliance electricians continue to sweep The Washington Building Congress (WBC) awards.
D.C. area electrical contractor, C3M Power Systems, was recognized as ENR MidAtlantic’s Specialty Contractor of the Year, as selected by ENR’s editors. The electrical contracting firm was also honored with the title of best project, for the MidAtlantic, for their work on the CSX Virginia Tunnel Reconstruction. In addition, C3M was also awarded NECA’s 2019 Project Excellence Award.
In recognition of May as the National Electrical Safety Month (NESM), the Electrical Alliance (EA) sponsored a safety day event on May 18th at IBEW Local Union 26 headquarters in Lanham, Maryland. All EA contractors’ representatives and employees were invited to the event. Tom Myers, Local 26 President, described the EA Safety Day as an “inaugural event [that] celebrates our industry’s collaborative efforts to protect the safety and health of our workers.”
At this year’s Code Seminar sponsored by the Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee (JATC) of the Electrical Alliance, 160 participants — including Electrical Alliance contractors’ representatives and electricians — received important updates and training on the National Electrical Codes (NEC)®. The Code Seminar, held on March 23, focused on the 2017 NEC® Significant Changes and provided updates relevant to Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace (NFPA 70E) and fire alarm code.
As technology rapidly changes, electrical contractors must stay up-to-date on industry advancements— their jobs depend on it. Advancements in tools, lighting, machinery, accessories and more, frequently allow for electrical jobs to be completed faster, more efficiently and often times even more cost effectively. In addition, many of these advancements help trades workers to be safer on the job.
Starting July 25, 2017, Aarow Electrical Solutions was awarded a contract with JV EGI/HSU to replace the active fire alarm infrastructure within NIH main hospital. There are three 14-story risers plus penthouses in the building 10 hospital East, West, center, and five 8-story risers plus penthouses in the Mark O. Hatfield Clinical Research Center (CRC), both under one roof, all of which received the new infrastructure.
Year after year, Electrical Alliance contractors demonstrate that they light up the nation’s capital and surrounding metropolitan area. In fact, Electrical Alliance contractors worked on the vast majority of the largest construction projects in the greater D.C. region last year and are essential contributors on many award-winning projects.
By Jerry Rivera, Washington, DC NECA Safety Director
Everyone knows that construction sites can be of particular danger to the untrained eye. It is for this reason that the construction industry has designated May as the National safety Month for construction. It is during this time that you can witness the construction industry taking a stand for safety. Below are just a few of the safety stand-downs that are scheduled for 2017.
